


Birthday Surprise

by BeaDeM0



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-08-03 14:26:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16327709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeaDeM0/pseuds/BeaDeM0
Summary: Six months after the season one finale, Beth and the girls are still working for Rio, but on the eve of her 40th, Beth realises her very secret crush on Rio might be reciprocated... or is it just the booze?





	1. Beth's Birthday

It was Beth’s 40th birthday on Sunday, which was the next day and she had organised a late buffet lunch party at a sweet Italian restaurant nearby for her, the girls, their kids, a few of her closest girlfriends, their kids and a couple of the secret shopper crew. It was going to be a relaxed celebration, which was all Beth wanted. The past year had been adventurous enough. 

But right now it was Saturday eve, her last eve of being in her 30’s and so she, Annie and Ruby were heading out for cocktails in their favourite place in town to give the decade a good send off. Dean had the kids for the night at his new apartment and all Beth had to do was organise her taxi.

She had just finished putting on her make up after she had taken a long shower and moisterized, spritzed some perfume on the back of her neck and her décolletage that was slightly concealed by the black lace of the tight fitting pencil dress with its silk lining slip. She stood up and started zipping up the back of the dress when she somehow managed to get the zip stuck midway. She couldn’t pull it either up or down nor could she wriggle out of the dress as it was so form fitting, so she was completely stuck. 

Frustrated, she picked up her stiletto heels and clutch purse walked into the kitchen, looking for her cell when she saw him sat on the kitchen island counter. She jumped and dropped her shoes and purse, startled.

“Rio!”

Their relationship had finally improved nearly six months after the whole getting Rio arrested by the FBI ‘thing’. The girls had all worked like dogs for him for three months, both Annie and Beth had frequently been given ‘packages’ at home to hold for collection, Beth was unlucky enough to get humans twice who she had to lock in the laundry room to hide from her children but Annie only got boxes. Boxes that she didn’t dare look in. Rio let Ruby off with the package drops because of Stan being in the DPD.

Beth had also been to Canada with Annie four times, excusing Ruby the first time as she couldn’t handle seeing big Mike again. Besides things with her and Stan were still very difficult at that point and she didn’t want to have to tell him she was stepping over the border for a girls trip, as he would rightfully be suspicious. So instead, Rio ‘asked’ Ruby to drive Mr Cisco around in her cop husbands personal car doing cash drop offs on the day Beth and Annie went to Canada. 

Mr Cisco had barely spoken to Ruby for the first 20 minutes but when a Motown track came on the radio, he started singing to it. It turned out that he adored Motown and knew so much about it and the artists in relation to their good home city to the extent that he didn’t stop talking about Motown for six hours straight. Ruby had volunteered to go to Canada with the girls the second time around. 

The girls had also had pulled overnighters in the warehouse for Rio, helping prepare the cash and then after three months of slaving away, Rio had finally asked them to start up the secret shopper operation again. It was then that Beth knew Rio was ‘okay’ with them. 

He wouldn’t forgive them, but the packages, including the human ones to babysit stopped arriving on Beths doorstep so she was relieved. He had also stopped looking at her so coldly and had started to banter with her again during their drop offs. He often made drops to her house now Dean wasn’t there, but she definitely hadn’t been expecting him tonight. Besides it was a Saturday, shouldn’t he be out?

“Expecting someone else Mamma?” He looked her up and down in the way he used to and she felt her cheeks colour a little, so she bent to pick up her purse to hide them as he jumped off the counter top.

‘No, I’m heading out with the girls for drinks. Have you seen my cell?”

He nodded to the other end of the kitchen island and she smiled gratefully and walked to it, distractedly.

“Are you celebrating?” 

Beth looked up, Rio had walked right into her personal space, same as always. “Yes, it’s my birthday tomorrow, and so we’re having a few cocktails tonight. Just a few though, the kids are back at eleven tomorrow and I have a ladies and kids birthday lunch.”

Rio looked at her, expressionless. “How old?”

“You don’t get to ask me that.”

Rio smirked. “So it’s a big one then? 40?”

Beth bristled slightly. “Yes, if you must know.”

“No need to be sensitive about hitting the naughty 40s.”

Beth looked at him a little strangely and he laughed. “Listen, I left a bag in your hall, someone let me down so I’m gonna need you clean this cash real quick, by next week.”  
“Okay, I’ll do it.”

Rio smirked. “I know you will.”

He started to move away from Beth when he caught sight of her back and looked at her with a quizzical expression on his face, seeing the tangle.

Beth shrugged. “I caught the zip and can’t undo it, I was going to put a jacket over it until I got to the bar, then get Ruby to sort it out.”

“I can do it for you.”

For some reason this made Beth’s stomach flutter slightly. “That would be great, if you don’t mind?”

Rio put his hands gently on Beth’s arm and turned her so her back was facing him, he then gently put a hand on her bare skin. Beth almost jolted at his touch, though there was no reason to, his hand was warm and smooth and his touch surprisingly gentle. She felt a slight tug and the zip released. He unzipped her to her waist and then gently, slowly zipped her up. 

It was strangely intimate, and Beth blushed when she realised that Rio had just seen her underwear, she was wearing an emerald green lace bra that would have otherwise been hidden under the black lining of the dress. It was a good bra, but still, she would have kind of preferred it if he had’t have seen it.

“All done.” He said and she turned around, looking him in the eyes.

He smiled at her, there was a little fire in his eyes and a smile twitched on his lips. “I usually unzip dresses but it’s good to know I can fix ‘em, an’ zip ‘em back up again.”

Beth chuckled. “Yes, zips work both ways. Okay, I better order an uber.”

“Where you heading to?”

Beth told Rio the bar name.

“Listen, I got a date two blocks from there, I can drop you off.”

“Really? It wouldn’t put you out?” Beth smiled at him, feeling happy that he was letting her in, telling her openly about a personal matter, but at the same time she felt a weird pang about his date. 

Of course he would go on dates, he was GORGEOUS and stupidly clever though he hid it well with his street slang speech and tough guy persona. Though his profession was dangerous and kept him occupied, he probably knew of lots of great places to go out, and he definitely oozed a feline-predator sexual energy thing that was compelling to many females.

If Beth hadn’t been a mother of four, with three mortgages and an idiot almost ex-husband, she would totally find him attractive. Not that he was her type at all, what with the neck tattoo and the lean muscular body like a light weight boxer, and the simple but cool jewellery and the understated button up shirts and street hoodies that he wore so well. And the way he licked his bottom lip when he was alone with her or when he would look at her with those gorgeous come to bed eyes as dark as the night skies, no, not her type at all. 

Okay, so Beth found him incredibly attractive. She just couldn’t admit it to anyone, and did her best to pretend to herself that she didn’t have those feelings. 

She could barely admit the real reason she had thrown the keys in his face all those months back to herself. But the truth was she felt he was rejecting her, treating her like she didn’t matter and it made her lose her shit. She shouldn’t have, but she was so used to their interactions being much more relaxed and intimate, almost like he was her mentor, but more than that, there was an energy between them, a chemistry, a connection, he trusted her and would tease her to make her blush, and he would look at her in that way. 

She kind of maybe forgot in her anger at his impatience that he was a giant crime boss and he would know for sure that she of all people wouldn’t get charged with anything for driving an empty van. She could charm her way into and out of most kinds of shit. Rio knew that from being on the end of her dazzling speeches more then once. 

So she learnt her lesson the hard way. But Rio had also learnt his lesson not to underestimate her by the getting arrested way. He had weirdly respected her for it during their confrontation at her house. 

When Beth realised that Rio wasn’t going to kill her or Dean, and once she’d realised that she could never kill Rio, though she would have liked to shoot Dean in the balls as payback for the lies, Rio had eye-balled Beth and sent Dean to Kenny’s bedroom to leave them to talk business alone. Beth had held her own in talks with Rio and she negotiated what they were going to do to repay him at her dining room table. They’d sealed the deal with a bourbon, Rio’s hand was steady as he drank, staring at her coldly. Beth had held his gaze but her hands were shockingly unsteady. 

She had asked Dean to move out the following day, getting Annie around to make sure he left. His bruises were passed off as car crash injuries and Beth promised not to tell anyone other than Annie and Ruby about his faking cancer if he left quickly and quietly. He was concerned for her and the kids safety, but Beth assured him that Rio wouldn’t hurt them, though she didn't know for sure that Rio wouldn’t try to get revenge on her later.

As part of the negotiation, Beth had reluctantly agreed to sort out her rotten egg through Rio, as he demanded it. She had arranged to meet Mary Pat and invited Rio along. They had sat in Beth’s car whilst Rio told Mary Pat what he did with those who cheated him or tried to blackmail him. Beth believed that this was a warning for her too and was suitably shaken. She and girls were getting off lightly. 

Rio hadn’t actually touched either her or Mary Pat. He didn’t need to, they understood he was telling them the truth. The warning worked as Mary Pat moved out of Detroit and back to her parents and Beth, Annie and Ruby had not heard from her since.

And now, well, now they were comfortable enough with one another again, so much so that Rio had offered to give her a lift. He smiled at Beth. “No bother Mamma, if you’re ready to go now?”

Beth nodded, putting her cell in her purse. Rio walked to her front door, waiting for her to slip her heels on and then he helped her into her jacket. Beth smiled her thanks at him as he opened the door for her, he really could be a gentleman when he wanted to be.

When he pulled up beside the bar, Beth unbuckled her seat belt. They had bantered the whole journey and it felt good. Beth had turned to Rio, ready to leave the car, beaming her best smile at him.

“Thank you Rio. I hope you have a great night. And good luck with your date, not that you’ll need it, she’s a lucky lady to be with you.” 

Beth opened the door and stepped out of the sleek comfort and warmth of his car and onto the street, but before she closed the door Rio called out to her. She leant back in slightly, looking at him, not sure what he wanted.

“You look even more beautiful than usual tonight Elizabeth. Happy Birthday for tomorrow.” He looked so intensely into her eyes as he spoke that Beth was lost for words. 

She nodded, slightly stunned and swallowed as she gently closed the car door, walking to the bar, almost unsteady, looking back as the doorman opened the door for her, seeing Rio’s Cadillac still there. She somehow knew he wouldn't drive off until she was inside the bar. She braved a small acknowledgement wave at him, and walked in, in need of cocktail.

 

***

 

After four cocktails, a glass of water each, shots given to them by some random hitting on Annie, a man in a suit trying to follow Beth into the restrooms as he hit on her, and the waiter giving them their last round at a discounted rate as he liked Ruby’s jokes and smiles, the ladies took a quick turn on the dance floor to work off some of the booze before stepping outside at 11.30pm. They were ready to find a taxi to share as Ruby and Annie had to get back to their babysitters by midnight. They were giggling but not drunk when they walked towards the road to hail a taxi. 

The first taxi that stopped refused to do three drops, the next said Beth’s house was too far so Annie grabbed her cell to call for an uber when a voice called out to them from a sleek black car that pulled up alongside them.

“How’s it goin' ladies?”

Ruby tensed immediately, she was still not comfortable in Rio’s presence. Annie however was a little more relaxed. She’d had four shots compared to Beth and Ruby’s solo effort.

“We need a taxi to share and that asshole wouldn’t take us.”

“Did you call him an asshole?” Rio deadpanned.

“Only when he wouldn’t take us.”

Rio smirked. “I’m heading near your way, I can drop you all off.”

Ruby automatically shook her head. “No, thanks, it’s fine. We can wait for a taxi.”

But Annie spoke over her. “That’s awesome, thanks!” 

Ruby turned to Beth who shrugged as Annie had already opened the back door to the car and was scampering in. Ruby sighed and followed in after Annie so Beth found herself sat in the front seat again. Rio turned to look at her when she closed the door, giving her a quick once over again, smiling his sly, sexy half smile, making Beth bite her lip. 

But she was secretly pleased. She wondered what happened to his date but thought better of asking him about it in front of the ladies. 

“I’ll drop Ruby off first, then you Annie, okay?”

Annie chirped. “Great, thanks! Can we do a stop off for food, I could really do with a burger.”

Rio was gruff. “Not in my car.”

Annie shrugged. “Okay, that’s totally fine, I have cheese crackers at home.”

Rio ignored her answer. “So, how were drinks?”

Annie nervously blurted out. “Ruby got us a discount on our drinks.”

Ruby countered. “You got us free shots.”

Annie then laughed. “And Beth’s admirer followed her into the restrooms!”

Rio gave Beth the side eye. “Is that so?”

Beth spoke quickly. “He was drunk but harmless, he didn’t do anything.”

Annie snorted. “Only ‘cos you got mad at him. You’re so polite to a point but then the badass comes out.”

Rio tried not to smile at that and the ladies continued to banter without his involvement, a little more relaxed than they normally would be in a confined space in his company because of the booze. In no time at all they were by Ruby’s place, and then at Annie’s apartment. Rio and Beth drove in a comfortable silence back to hers. He pulled into her driveway and just when Beth was wondering if she should ask him in for a tea or something stronger or debating whether it would be too weird, he turned off the engine.

“Do you mind if I use your restroom, I really need to take a leak. A juice, two sodas, and a beer, and no bathroom break.”

Beth opened the car door as she spoke. “Of course, come on in, I think you know where my bathroom is.”

Rio followed Beth into the house and headed straight to her bedroom ensuite rather than the downstairs guest bathroom once inside. Beth shrugged, slipping off her shoes and jacket and she padded into the kitchen. She put the kettle on the stove to make tea, putting mugs on the counter and then grabbed her bourbon and two glasses. 

She looked in her cupboard for snacks and pulled out some lemon and chilli lentil chips that she had become slightly addicted to before she stretched up a little, clicking her back as she needed the relief. When she turned around Rio was standing at the island counter, staring at her body, eyes dark and unreadable.

“Better?” She asked.

“Much.”

“I, erm, am making us tea, if that’s okay for you?”

Rio nodded.“Tea’s good.”  
“Would you like a small nightcap too?”

“Yeh, why not, just a small taster.”

“Okay.” She took the two steps to the island to grab the bottle and poured them each a little as Rio opened the bag of snacks, sniffing the curiously and trying one. He grinned broadly at her.

“These are good, they got a kick. Mamma, I wouldn’t have thought they’d be your style.”

“Really? You think I don’t like spice?  
“Wouldn’t say that.” Rio smirked at her and licked his bottom lip which made Beth roll her eyes. She passed the bourbons across the counter to him.

“Go find us somewhere to sit, I’ll bring the tea.”

He tilted his head to one side, looking at her, but he did as she requested, picking up the glasses after putting the chips in his hoodie pocket.

When the kettle had whistled, another thing Rio had commented on an earlier visit to her kitchen when she made him tea, as he loved the traditional designs of Le Creuset, Beth poured the hot water in the mugs. She carried them to the couch, not paying too much attention to the fact that Rio had chosen the smaller two-seater option and that he looked like he belonged there. Beth sat down after placing the tea in front of him and he smiled appreciatively but he took a sip of the bourbon in his hand.

“Do men often follow you into the restrooms when you’re out?”

“No, he was drunk.”

Rio watched Beth closely as she sipped her bourbon. “And you weren’t drunk?”

“I can handle four cocktails and one shot in two and a half hours.”

Rio licked his bottom lip. “Right.”

“What about your night?”

“What about it?”

Beth tipped her head to one side as she looked at Rio. “How was your date?”

Rio smiled. “Why you wanna know?”

“It’s conversation! Humour me, I mean I haven’t been on a date since I was a teenager and at some stage, maybe, I hope, that I will get to go on a date again. If there’s someone out there who can handle a woman who’s just turned 40 with four kids, three mortgages and an idiot ex-husband.” Beth frowned at herself, and took a slug of the bourbon.

Rio smirked. “You forgot Buddy.”

“Thank you.” Came out of her mouth but her tone was clearly fuck you and it made Rio laugh.

“Nah, come on sweetheart! Look at you, any man that gets you will be the lucky one. You’re smart, you’ve got your shit together, you look like butter wouldn’t melt but I know you’re all flames. An’ looking as you do, the men’ll be queuing round the block, trust me, you just ain’t ready to see it yet.”

Beth looked down at her lap, not knowing what to say for a moment. Rio had surprised her again. She looked up at him, staring in his eyes again and spoke softly. “Thank you.”

He smiled and looked away, knocking back what he had left of his bourbon and he then put the empty glass on the table.

“So? The date?”

Rio smiled and looked at Beth with a spark in his eye as he spoke. “Yeh, it was good. She’s definitely someone I should see again.”

Beth kept her face neutral but she felt a blow of disappointment deep inside. “Well, that’s good. When will you see her again?”

“I might not, it depends.”

Confused, Beth asked. “On what?”

“Well, I should see her again, you know, she’s got a college education an’ liberal attitude, she’s funny an’ seriously, seriously pretty, but the thing is, when I was with her, I found myself thinking ‘bout someone else.”  
Beth looked at Rio puzzled. “Well, why didn’t you take the other woman on a date then?”

Rio laughed and looked away from Beth, leaning forward to grab his tea. “Nah, it’s too complicated.”

Beth rolled her eyes at him, not sure if he meant she wouldn’t understand or that situation was difficult or both, but either way, Rio sure seemed to have lots of love interests. So not only was her crush a criminal, he was a lothario too. Great, she was an idiot.

She finished her bourbon and leant forward to put her glass down, but in doing that, it meant that she had moved inadvertently closer to Rio. They turned to look at one another, and Beth felt something pass between them, the thing that had always been there, though it had serious dulled after his arrest but right now, after the relaxing effect of the booze and their closeness, it was back. 

They both felt the electricity crackle in the air between them as they stared at one another and then she didn’t know who moved first, but their lips suddenly locked together, mouths opening, tongues sliding and colliding in a dance older than time. Rio tasted of bourbon warmth, his tongue rolled against hers, teasing, probing, firm and yet caressing. 

Beth couldn’t help but moan into his mouth, it felt amazing, just kissing him felt so erotic, felt so intensely pleasurable, her body tingled. She was shocked as she felt her wetness in her panties, if kissing Rio had this total body bliss effect on her, what would having sex with him be like? 

That made her move closer to him, feeling his stubble gently scratch the soft skin of her face as she wrapped her arms around his strong, lean frame. She felt herself being pulled and lifted onto his lap, and the tight skirt of her dress was gently and firmly smoothed up her thighs by Rio’s masterful hands. It seemed like he wanted her to straddle him, to get her as close to him as possible but her dress was too tight to move that far up and so she sat in his lap at an angle instead, grinding her ass into his crotch and he groaned, pulling her right against him, her body twisted as their mouths moved sensually together. 

But then Rio started to slowing their kiss down, smoothing her skirt back down her legs as he pulled back from her slightly. Their mouths pulled apart, they were both breathing heavily and Beth pulled her arms back, away from his body, turning away from him and manoeuvring herself off his lap.

What the fuck had just happened? Was she drunker than she thought she was? Had she just completely mis-read the whole situation? Had she just launched herself onto the lap of her gorgeous gangster boss who had very gently and politely just pushed her away? Oh GOD!

Rio reached out to her, putting his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing it before he spoke in his deep voice. “Elizabeth.” 

She didn’t look at him, she couldn’t just yet, she grabbed her tea instead, deciding to not react to the rejection, to be a grown up about this. She felt Rio starring at her intently but she wouldn’t look at him. 

“Elizabeth, I have to be somewhere now.”

“Of course.” Beth spoke into her tea, realising with horror that he was probably going to see the woman he liked. Oh! What had she done?

“Elizabeth.”

She wouldn’t look at him, she couldn’t. She just couldn’t, it was too humiliating. So she said nothing, looking straight ahead of her. As what could she say?

Rio sighed and stood up from the couch, stepping in front of her. She took a deep breath in and looked up at him. She couldn’t read his dark eyes, or his expression.

“I’ll be in touch, yeh?”

Beth nodded and managed a half smile, still mortified but she was a grown up and would handle it. She could handle anything and hey, Dean had both privately and publicly humiliated her. At least this humiliation was in private and Rio was discreet. She trusted that he wouldn’t go telling anyone about it, as who would he tell? She was startled when he leant forward and kissed her forehead gently before leaning over her, to undo the zip of her dress, pulling it down to her mid-back.

“What are you doing?”

Rio shrugged, stepping back. “Helping you, don’t want you to get the zip caught an’ have to sleep in it the whole night.”

Beth blushed but smiled properly. “Thanks.”

Rio just nodded, staring intensely into her eyes before walking away, to the hallway door, before he closed it he called out. “Happy Birthday, Elizabeth.”

She groaned and lay back on the sofa, hoping that tomorrow she would wake up and forget about it. But right now, her lips felt slightly bruised from the best kissing session she’d had in years, or maybe even two decades, her body was aching with desire and yet she felt embarrassed. At least Rio had been a gentleman about her misreading the signs.

 

***

 

It was nine in the evening, on her birthday and Beth had had a great day. The kids came home in the morning and were super sweet, having made cards with Dean and he’d even brought a cake around, making effort. The lunch with everyone had been just perfect and after it, Annie and Sadie had come over to hers where they’d all hung out in the garden for a bit, played games, did some dance routines in the house and had takeout pizza for dinner before Annie and Sadie left and her kids went to bed. 

And now Beth, after doing a quick clean up, sat on the small couch with a tea and the last of the cake, and a book that Ruby had bought her, staring at a vase of beautiful flowers. The large bouquet featuring many bird of paradise stems had been waiting for her on the doorstep when she got back from the restaurant. Beth read the note left with them, ‘Happy Birthday, Elizabeth’ and she knew they were from Rio. 

She’d lied to Annie and said they were from a rich Mom from the school but as she starred at them now, she let herself smile, a little relieved. Rio wasn’t mad with her for leaping on him, as he wouldn’t send her birthday flowers if her was. 

She’d sent him a text, saying thank you but she hadn’t heard back. Not that she expected to. He wasn’t exactly verbose. But the man sure knew how to kiss. 

Beth sighed at herself and opened her new book, but there a light tapping at her front door. She got up and walked to it, unlocking it and pulling it open, only to see Rio standing there, looking at her with his coal black eyes.

“Hi.” 

“Hi.”

Beth was surprised, Rio NEVER knocked, nor did he wait to be invited in. “Do you want to come in?”

He walked in, a bag in his hand, and Beth closed and locked the door behind him, before she turned to him, looking at the bag. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeh.” He was staring at her intensely and giving off a slightly funny vibe.

Beth couldn’t quite meet his gaze, still feeling embarrassed at making a fool of herself the night before. Rio was super attractive, several years younger than her, totally fit and fierce and cocky as hell and standing in her hallway. Couldn’t he just have given her a few days to get over kissing him?

Beth took a breath in. “Can I get you a drink or something?”

Rio raised an eyebrow at her. “Still boozing, huh?”

“I had two glasses of wine at lunch but with food. It’s my Birthday so I’m allowed, though I am totally sober now, so you are totally safe.”

Rio looked a little confused at her. “Huh?”

Beth swallowed, her cheeks reddening. “I won’t embarrass you again.”

“What?”

Beth sighed. He was really going to make her do this? Is that why he had come over? Beth made herself look at him, though she already wanted the ground to eat her up whole. But she knew if she did this, it would make it easier between them, and he wouldn’t be giving her this weird edgy vibe. Rio preferred straight talk. 

“I kissed you, and you weren’t really into it, and I really didn’t mean to embarrass you or put you in an awkward position when you’re into someone else. I got carried away, it’s been a while, that’s all and so I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Rio started laughing and Beth stared at him, mouth agape, feeling both annoyed and humiliated.

“Rio, don’t laugh at me, I feel stupid enough as it is.” But he didn’t stop so Beth looked away from him and walked back to the couch. She needed to sit down. She hoped he would just leave, but he followed immediately after her, crouching on his feet, in-front of where she sat.

“Elizabeth.”

She refused to look at him.

“I’m not laughing at you cos you think you made a pass at me last night, I’m laughing at you for being dumb. How can you be 40 an’ made four kids an’ have no idea?”

Beth looked up at him then, her eyes blazing in anger. “What?”

“You are the complicated woman. An’ we kissed each other. We, pronoun, meaning you and me, yeh? You didn’t embarrass me, man, I pulled you onto my lap cos I wanted you on my lap. I been walking around with a semi since I left you.”

“Oh.” Beth couldn’t say anything else as she processed what he had just said.

“But hittin’ it last night, when you’d had six drinks an’ I was basically sober, that woulda made me a dick. Me coming to you tonight, to give you a present an’ maybe be a part of the initiation into your naughty 40’s, well, it’s a better plan.”

Beth looked at him confused. “Hold on, you want to give me a present by letting me know you specialise in sleeping women who’ve just turned 40?”

Rio laughed again. “Nah sweetheart! You’ll be my first, but I’d like to specialise in you. Here.” He handed her the black bag still in his hand. “Open it.”

She pulled it onto her lap and unzipped it, feeling Rio’s eyes on her as she pulled out a boxed bottle of Veuve Clicquot vintage rosé champagne, a paper bag containing 40 candy bars which made her giggle and then lastly, a jewellery box. Beth looked at Rio, surprised, holding the box in her hand as he pulled the bag away from her.

She opened the box slowly and saw a beautiful rose gold bar pin, set with a pearl, a sapphire and a ruby. Beth was speechless and she took the pin out of the box, feeling the gems. Jesus, it was all real and beautiful. So beautiful, being tasteful, elegant and not at all ostentatious. She loved it. How did he know that this would be exactly what she would have chosen for herself, had she had ever seen it?

“Oh my God, Rio, it’s incredible, thank you! But I can’t take this from you, it’s too generous.”

“Didn’t nobody ever tell you giving a gift back is rude? Consider it as your Birthday bonus. I saw it a few weeks ago and I just thought it was meant for you. Gold’s your metal, the pearl’s for your skin, the sapphire for your eyes an’ the ruby for your fire. Its art deco, unique, one of a kind, just like you.” He starred deeply into her eyes as he spoke, his hands either side of her legs, his knees almost touching hers. 

Beth swallowed, a little overcome. “No one has ever bought me a more perfect gift. I don’t know what to say.”

Still holding the pin in her hand, Beth moved her face closer to Rio’s, staring in to his eyes. “Thank you.”

Their lips touched again, gently and softly. Beth pulled back, taking a deep breath and she put the pin in its box, placing it on the coffee table, before moving her hands around Rio’s neck. She swallowed, the blooding was racing around her body and her heart was pounding as she pulled him as close as she could get him against her body, her breasts pressing on his chest, his lips parting open from pressure from her own. As their tongues stroked, slowly, sensually, Rio’s hands found their way to her ass and he pulled her to the edge of the couch. 

Her knees spread open, her thighs widened as he pressed her to him, jeans rubbed against jeans, but it wasn’t enough for Rio, she wasn’t close enough and he, with a strength that belied his lean frame, scooped her up as she gasped and carried her into the bedroom, dropping her on the bed without ceremony which made her squeal, before he slowly lowered himself down beside her, kicking off his shoes. 

They lay on their sides facing each other, silent but for their shallow breathing, just starring, but Beth could hear her heartbeat in her ears, could feel the heat between them. This was happening. This crazy thing that she would never in a million years believe could happen was happening. 

Rio moved closer to her, and he traced his hand from her knees, up over her outer thighs, over the curve of her hips to the dip of her waist, over her ribs, around her arm and her shoulder, tracing her exposed clavicle with his fingertips and then he put his hand on her jawline, before tracing her lips with his fingertips. Beth opened her mouth, letting just the tip of her tongue tease his fingers.

Rio then pressed his mouth on hers and their kiss, oh their kiss, it felt like electricity. Beth moved against him, arching her back as he pulled her close, his firm hands squeezing her ass cheeks, pulling her hips roughly to his, so he could press his rock hard erection, straining in his jeans, against her crotch. 

Beth moved to kiss down Rio’s neck, sucking at his pulse points. “I want to feel you inside me.”

Rio moaned at her, pulling one of her hands down, to rub his hardness. “Show me, baby.”

Beth smoothed her hand up and down Rio’s bulge as she looked into his eyes and said very firmly. “Take your clothes off.”

Rio smiled at Beth through his heavy lidded dark eyes and he pulled back from her, undoing his shirt. She followed his lead pulling her black floral sweater off, pulling her jeans down, removing her panties and bra and in no time at all they were both naked. Rio’s eyes swept up and down over Beth’s body, lingering on her hips and her breasts before his eyes met hers. He shook his head at her in wonder. 

His voice was hoarse. “Even more beautiful than I’d imagined.”

Beth blushed a little, but took her time to look at Rio’s body, which was beyond perfect, it was so fine that it would probably be outlawed in certain states. His torso was sculpted and smattered with tasteful ink tattoos that curved around to his back, and his cock, oh! Now it was free from it jean confines, it was big, smooth, hard and pointing up at her, almost at an 180 degree angle. Oh, it was no longer a semi-hard on, he was definitely ready for her.

Beth looked back at Rio’s eyes, their pupils were equally dilated with desire. 

“Wow.” Was all she could manage to say before they pulled back together.

Rio rolled Beth onto her back, and she spread her legs so he could fit between them. Rio kissed her, passionately, pulling back to whisper hoarsely. “I don’t think I can wait, I’ve got condoms but are you ovulating?”

Beth almost laughed. “No, not right now. Erm, are you, disease free?”

Rio chuckled at her. “Good and yeh, I am.” 

They smiled at each other before he leant down to kiss her and she moved her hand to his cock and pulled it towards her lips, leading it to her wet vulva. He didn’t wait for any further invitation and he pushed inside her, making Beth cry out at the feel of him finally inside her, the shock of his flesh, the full width of him, his length, and then, the ecstasy, the total and utter rightness of it. He was inside her, his hot body was on top of hers and this heat they shared was radiating around them. 

He groaned as he pulled out and then pushed back in her, deeper this time and rolling his hips so he pressed against her sweet spot, making her cling to his back. They built a steady rhythm, both unable to help the pleasure moans that left their mouths, as they fucked and kissed and stroked the others skin, marvelling at the intensity of their union, of how right it felt, of how incredibly GOOD it felt. 

After a little while, Rio’s hip rolls were hitting Beth hard, she was close to orgasm and he could feel the heat building, so he moved Beth so she that she was straddling him, he teased her nipples with his tongue and fingertips, letting her ride him more fiercely, pounding herself against him harder as the heat got ready to explode. Rio moved his hands to her hips to hold them in place for her to reach the maxim pleasure pressure and then he felt her walls spasm and he watched her face in awe as she cried out, her orgasm shaking her.

She panted and looked at him, shaking her head in shock at the intensity, letting him sit up, as she was still sat on his rock hard cock, as he kissed her gently, before he whispered. “You did so good baby, you deserved that, you’re so beautiful baby, so beautiful.” 

They kissed, slowly, staying in that position for a little while, whilst Beth came down from her high and then Rio gently manoeuvred her on to all fours. He wanted to see her back dimples, to hold her hips or her breasts as his cock filled her. Besides this position kind of meant less work for her which was no bad thing as she was still on an orgasm high. As he pushed inside her, she looked over her shoulder, her eyes locked on his seductively, her mouth slightly open and she squeezed him tight, using her core muscles. 

Rio groaned and pumped into her harder, clutching at her hips, holding them tight, the sound of his thighs slapping on her ass cheeks vibrated around the room and without warning his own orgasm hit him hard and he cried out, yanking on her hips, pushing himself as far inside her as he could, making her cry out too. He looked at her, eyes wide in wonder, everything alive, sensitive, and out of this world, his mouth twitched and she smiled at him from over her shoulder and nodded, because she already knew. 

He had given her the most intense orgasm of her life and she had just done the same for him. They stayed like that until Rio could move, could function again and then they crawled under the covers, he lay on his back and pulled her to him. God, he smelt good. They smelt good together.

Rio started drawing circles on her back which felt both soothing and erotic.

He spoked huskily. “So how was your initiation to your naughty 40’s?”

“I don’t think it could have been bettered.”

“We’ll see, we gotta few hours left of your Birthday to work with.”

Beth propped herself up on her elbows. “What are you suggesting?”

Rio licked his bottom lip as he looked at her. “I ain’t tasted you yet, an’ there’s a lot more things I wanna do with you tonight, an’ in a night or two.”

Beth grinned widely, she couldn’t help it. “Okay.”

Rio looked at her, questioningly. “Just okay?”

“No! It sounds perfect. Pretty much like you and every single thing about you.”

That made Rio laugh. “Perfect, hey?”

Beth nodded. “Yes, you are perfect and this was the best Birthday surprise I have ever had.”

With that, Rio pulled her tight against him, kissing her deeply, moaning softly into her mouth as Beth wrapped her arms around him, ready for whatever other surprises Rio had in mind.


	2. Rio's Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist another little chapter of Beth & Rio...

Beth was gripping the sheet below her as tight as she could with both hands, panting despite the two orgasms Rio had worked out of her with his cock in the last hour. 

“Oh, Rio!”

He was plunging into her so very deeply though Beth couldn’t understand quite how gravity and the position their bodies were currently in was working right at this moment, as he was on his knees and the backs of her knees were pressing into his chest, half of her body was raised off the bed, all she knew was that she was spent. Rio had been holding her legs in place with one arm for a while now, obviously enjoying this position and the depth it allowed him to go but they had been fucking for an hour and Rio needed to come because their sweat drenched bodies both needed a break. 

Beth focussed all of the energy she had left on squeezing her core muscles which had the effect of making Rio gasp and pump franticly a few more times, before making the face Beth loved to see: the neat furrow in his brow, the open wide mouth before he dragged his bottom lip through his teeth, his eyes, either closed in intense concentration and feeling, or staring into her own, wide and amazed like he was doing now. She doubted she would ever get tired of seeing his face like that.

He sighed, shaking his head at her, pulling out of her and gently letting her legs go, lowering her back onto the bed tenderly before he lay on top of her, in one of his favourite post-coitus positions, using her breasts as a pillow and tucking his hands under her ass. 

He liked full body contact for a while after coming and Beth liked feeling the weight of him, not that he was heavy, he was lean and muscular like an athlete and so goddamn gorgeous that seeing him naked still had the effect of taking Beth’s breath away, but it felt so good to have the heat of him, the feel of his honey skin on hers. 

She put one hand gently on his back and the other on the back of his head, using her nails to softly scratch at his short hair and he moaned softly, kissing the breast closest to his lips. They lay like that, dozing contentedly until Rio slowly slipped off her, leaning across to kiss Beth lazily on the lips, before putting his head on the pillow beside hers. 

“Sweet dreams, sweetheart.”

Beth could only smile back at him, watching as he smiled sleepily and closed his eyes. She was too spent to move, too spent to speak, she like him, just needed to sleep. And yet sometimes, despite the total body bliss and head floating on a fluffy cloud after sex mode with Rio; she still found that it would take her an hour to fall asleep. 

It was like her brain still couldn’t accept that this had become her reality, so it kept her awake to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming. And she didn’t mind it so much to be honest, she could feel Rio next to her in bed, hear his regular steady breathing, and she would luxuriate in the feeling of being next to him. Her lover, her mentor, and also to be honest, her friend. 

The situation on paper was all kinds of fucked up, because he was still her, Annie’s and Ruby’s crime lord boss who hadn’t quite forgiven them yet. And the outside world had no real notion of any relationship between them at all, business or otherwise but Beth didn’t really care about any of that.

Whatever Rio and her were doing right now just worked. They saw each other for work just as they used to, cash drop offs and pick ups alone or with her girls and his boys. He would occasionally ask questions about their secret shoppers, and about the legitimate business they had set up, reminding her to make sure there was a paper trail for the IRS. 

In front of his boys and her girls, they remained as they were previously, the tension was still there between them for sure, but now it was because they knew what they were doing with each other in private rather then the flirting/non-flirting tension they had previously had in their interactions.

But since her birthday four months back, Rio had come to see Beth as often as he could at night or during the day, and when Dean had the kids she would go to his. Just as she had tonight. He worked hard, he worked out hard, he was always there for his family and friends which a side of him he had always hidden from Beth, but now he was honest about what his family meant to him and she appreciated that he spent as much of his spare time and energy on her, because he already had a lot going on. 

But he loved to pleasure her, to please her, he loved giving her confidence a boost, he loved to make her smile and to tease her, to make her blush. 

He was a bit of a dream to be honest. A total bad boy dream, the exact opposite of her in his appearance and social group with his street ways and gangster attitude but alone together, he was not what he seemed, he was considerate, intelligent, wise and damn hot.

Oh, damn hot. The man made her come over and over again. Beth was pretty sure she'd had more orgasms over the past four month that she’d had since she’d given birth to Kenny, 11 and a half years ago. That wasn’t a diss to Dean, well, Beth thought, it kind of was, but they’d been together for 20 years, she had loved him and they'd once had great sex. But they had been young and Beth was inexperienced. People changed as they aged, and Beth simply hadn’t desired or respected Dean for a long time. But she was beyond grateful for their four babies. They were her world.

Rio had asked her about Dean, repeatedly telling her she was way too good for waster car-man and that she should have left him years ago. Rio knew Dean was Beth’s only relationship and lover to date, so was a little more cagey when she asked him questions in return. He eventually admitted to having two long term girlfriends, one he dated for eight years, his high school sweetheart, before he walked away, as he was too deep in his life of crime. He said he’d had a few casual relationships, before meeting someone else that he spent two years with, but that had ended two years back and since then, he tried to keep things casual again.

It was hard to do what he did and be with someone understanding enough. Because he didn’t have time to do all couple things, he couldn’t ever stick to plans he made with his lover as work came first, then family commitments, and he never took holidays. He could choose great apology gifts when he had the time, but then that became what was expected and he had no time for someone who expected gifts or demanded attention. He had no time for that.

He loved women, and he was a skilled and passionate lover, but he made it clear he was a terrible boyfriend. Beth had smiled wanly, understanding his warning but she hadn’t asked for it. She honestly didn’t ask herself what she was doing with him, she was just enjoying feeling desire for him and feeling desired once again. Besides, Dean had turned out to be a terrible cliché of a husband, fucking his secretary, so how was sleeping with a commitment phobic crime lord any worse? Beth realised that maybe she had a type.

But she refused to think about that now, she was just taking each day as it came. Taking each moment with Rio as it came. She closed her eyes and drifted off, before waking the next day, sleep warm and cocooned on Rio’s luxurious sheets that smelt of their lovemaking. She felt Rio stir next to her, stretching like a cat, like the wild feline he truly was, and she turned to him, rubbing her eyes.

He pulled her to him, kissing her lips gently, and then more firmly, opening her mouth, flicking his tongue on hers, not caring about early morning dry mouth. He pulled back slightly to smile that devilish smile of his and she knew what was coming. She knew how he liked to start the morning with a view and sure enough, he pulled her on top of him, and pressed her hips against his, so she could feel his hardness.

“Good morning, Mamma.”

Oh god, the way he said that. She smiled, putting her hands on his shoulders for leverage as she pushed herself up, her legs parting either side of his hips. Oh yes, she knew exactly what he wanted and she wanted to give it to him. She sat up a little and tried to tease his cock head with her entrance, but he pulled on her hips with his hands and managed to open her slit and push inside her, like magic, and she gasped. She couldn’t help it, she’d spent a lot of time with his cock inside her but still, the shock of his perfect fullness and fit always made her gasp. 

“Mmm, Happy Birthday, Rio.” She rolled her hips as she rode him and he groaned, looking at her with pure lust in his sleepy eyes.

He grinned broadly at her and sat up a little so he could reach a nipple with his mouth. Oh, he knew what she liked in the favourite positions that they rotated. He knew she loved to have her nipples teased by his tongue or gently tweaked like this when she was on top of him, it drove her wild. 

Or when they were standing up and he was taking her from behind, she could almost come from him kissing the point below her ear. God, she’d had to wear turtlenecks for a week straight when he realised that, as he’d given her so many little nips and love bites. Or when they were spooning, he would stroke her lower stomach so gently, tickling it so unexpectedly as she was using her fingers on her clit, with him plunging in and out of her that she had almost immediately shuddered. And when he had her on all fours, he'd almost lose it when she'd jiggle her ass cheeks on him.

He drew reactions out from her that she didn’t even know where possible. Just a few weeks back, Rio had headed over to hers to drop the money off with one of his boys. Ruby had been there and Rio had leaned on the exact spot of the dining table where only two days before, at 10 in the morning, he had laid Beth down on it, pulling her ass to the edge of the table, lifting her skirt up and pulling her panties off as he got on his knees and buried his face in her perfectly trimmed patch, working on her slowly and steadily with his tongue flicking over her nub as his fingers alternately rubbed her slit and slipped inside her to fuck her, until she had come, crying out his name. 

They had been talking cash and he sat, stroking the table with his right hand, specifically with the two fingers he’d used to fuck her and had looked at Beth, poker faced. She tried her best not to glare at him as she could see that glint in his eye. She knew what he was thinking and she knew he was trying to provoke her, to make her blush. So she had looked away from him and focused on Ruby. 

But she spent the rest of the day so totally turned on that she had called him and demanded to see him. He said no, he was working in the warehouse and would be all night so Beth had threatened to head over, panty-less in her dress right then and there. He had laughed at that and told her to enjoy her eve, that he’d be around tomorrow. His calmness enraged her and as Annie was staying over that night, Beth thought fuck it. She told Annie that Rio had called her about the cash and that she would be back in an hour or so.

Annie had frowned at Beth. “Are you sure you’re okay going on your own? I mean, we can call Ruby as Stan’s not working tonight and I don’t want it to always be you seeing gang-friend. I know it’s not fair that it’s always left to you, but you know, you can reason with him more than we can.”

Beth shrugged, nonchalant. “Its fine Annie, I can handle him.”

She drove to the warehouse, walking in there with her heels on, her soft, flowing dress smoothing over her curves and a decoy bag in her hand. She looked at him haughtily. 

Rio had looked back at her, shaking his head disbelievingly but had taken her into a different part of the warehouse, a private quiet part, a room that he only used for meetings, and he had locked the door behind him. He gone straight on his knees for her, pulling her to him, lifting her dress up, groaning to see her panty-less before he got to work on her.

Once she had orgasmed as quietly as she could, she stepped back from him, his mouth and fingers wet with her pleasure and he had looked up her, wide eyed with desire. She smiled then, smoothing her dress down before walking out of there, leaving him alone with he empty bag. She had walked to her car, her head held high, cheeks slightly flushed, knowing that his boys would think she’d been her annoying, suburban soccer-Mom naive self again and that they had had a disagreement. No one would have a clue what he'd just done to her. 

Rio came to hers early the next night whilst she was feeding the kids, bringing her bag back to her. He had sat down with them as they ate, easily slipping in, being charming and chatting. The kids didn’t judge Rio, they just thought Mommy had a cool friend, they liked him as he wasn’t as boring as other adults. He stayed downstairs whilst Beth did their bed time routine. When that was done, he poured her a drink and they waited half an hour before he took out the last 24 hours of his sexual frustration on her, and she willingly accepted every cock stroke and love bite. 

As Beth rode him now, she stared at him, he was leaning back again, head on the pillows, fondling her nipples with his fingertips whilst drinking in her body with his eyes. The way he looked at her was such a turn on and an ego boost, he made no attempt to hide his desire when they were alone. But it was the same for Beth, he was so goddamned smoulderingly sexy. Beth squeezed his cock a little more and he moaned before raising his hips a little, filling Beth a little more, hitting her sweet spot a little harder, making her gasp.

Oh, he was good at this, at knowing when to go faster or slow it right down, when to bite her hard or just brush at her skin with his lips. The man knew how to make her come, and he was purposefully working on her now. She didn’t have the willpower to slow her orgasm down, to stop it, to take her time to build to a deeper one, so she rode his hip lifts until she came, his hands now on her waist. His eyes watched her face greedily, he loved to watch her orgasm. He loved to watch what he did to her.

Beth took a breath and Rio blew a little air on her neck and chest, smiling, but he didn’t stop his pumping of her and so Beth, moaning, began to move up and down, riding him, still in her orgasm throws, clenching her core, knowing that his own orgasm wasn’t too far off. 

“Ah, fuck, Elizabeth!” He cried out, teetering on the edge, pumping in her faster, moving his hands to her hips to hold her in place.

Beth cried out. “Oh my God, Rio, oh my God!” Because she could feel her core begin to vibrate again, she was coming again, violently, and she couldn’t stop it, she shuddered, squeezing his orgasm out of him. 

They both panted, hearts beating wildly in unison. Beth couldn’t move for a few minutes, she couldn’t speak for a few minutes, her body needed a few minutes to come down. But she eventually, awkwardly climbed off him and they both groaned as his cock slipped out of her. He pulled her onto his sweating body, pulling the sheets over her and putting his hands on her ass, as she rested her face on his shoulder and they both dozed off for a little while.

Rio woke her again by kissing her softly on the forehead.

“What a way to start my Birthday, being milked by the most beautiful milkmaid in Detroit, thanks sweetheart.”

Beth frowned at him as she lifted her head, but kissed him. “Err, yeah, Happy Birthday, loverman.”

He kissed her back and then chuckled. “Do you know something?”

“What?”

“You’re incredible.”

Beth giggled. “You’re the incredible one.” 

“We’re incredible together then.”

Beth nodded, agreeing. "Can I make you your Birthday breakfast now? I have your card and present in the kitchen.”

She had bought him a white gold wrist cuff, in a style she knew he liked and she had his initials engraved on the inside. It wasn’t cheap, but neither was Rio. Besides, he deserved something special. He meant a whole lot more to her then she would probably ever admit to him.

Rio smiled. “Baby, I told you I don’t need no gifts, just you. An’ you heading to my Birthday lunch.”

Beth beamed then. His sister was hosting a lunch for him at her place, family only, and Beth had been invited. It was a big step forward in their relationship but as Rio was now having dinners with her and her kids, it felt kind of natural.

“Come on then mister, I better feed you now otherwise you won't have an appetite for your lunch.”

Rio licked his bottom lip. “I’m sure I can think of somethin’ to help work up my appetite before we head out.”

Beth laughed, slowly sitting up. “You’re insatiable, Birthday boy.”

“Yeh.” Rio stretched out a little before sitting up too. “That’s cos my girlfriend gives me the endless horn.”

Beth looked at him wide-eyed and couldn’t control the Cheshire cat grin that spread across her face. Rio grinned back at her, pulling her to him, for a kiss. They were really doing this.


	3. Beth comes clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth comes clean to the girls as she and Rio get closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I've added a New Years treat to this one! I hope you enjoy it, it starts backwards!
> 
> And apologies if you got a notice twice on this - I just read it and had to clean up the typos I spotted (virgo issues...), please do excuse any typos I haven't spotted!!

“Beth!” Annie’s tone was both high and disbelieving.

Beth couldn’t blame her, after all, she had just told Annie and Ruby that she was in a relationship with Rio. A man who had been, and on paper was still kind of, their nemesis. But that hadn’t stopped her and Rio from kissing four and a half amazing months back and then from sneakily seeing each other whenever they could. But they had clearly kept what they were doing so under the radar that her girls didn't have a clue. Well, almost.

“I told you she was being shady! I told you that something was going on, that that she wasn’t all dried up ash twigs, as she’s been smiling and glowing since her birthday.” Ruby pursed her lips as she looked at Annie.

“Yes, okay, I guess I was wrong to think that was just down to the glow of getting rid of Dean. And I think you actually said you thought she’d signed up to some kinda Dad dating website, not that she was seeing a kingpin gangbanger.”

Beth frowned. “A Dad dating website?”

Annie shrugged. “You know, a less tedious tinder for Dads. One that doesn’t showcase their beer belly bodies but focus’ on their kids achievements.”

“What? No, and if I did sign up to something like that, wouldn't I ask you about it first? I mean, I have no idea about any of that stuff.” 

“Neither did I when Gregguls and I split, but you learn, and fast if you want to move on, cos the best way to move on is by getting on someone else.”

“Well, she's clearly learnt about that now, but not by signing up to Dad dating but by climbing on top of our friendly gangbanging boss who took a break from ‘handling’ people to whispering sweet-nothings like ‘bitch, you wanna take a break from cleaning 100 G’s of product tonight’? Beth have you actually lost your mind?” Ruby’s eyes were wide.

“That’s not how it was and no, I haven’t lost my mind, I’ve, I, I am working out who I am now and I guess forming a new romantic relationship with someone who challenges me is now a part of that.”

“A relationship?” Annie shook her head, incredulously.

“Yes. Look I didn’t say anything to you guys as I thought maybe he’s just having a Mom fantasy thing or maybe he wanted a revenge fuck and maybe I had a bad-boy itch to scratch or I just needed to get laid, but it’s never really been any of that. It was always more than that. I know it sounds crazy and I know it seems crazy...”

“Uh-huh.” Ruby interrupted.

“But it, whatever it is, it just works. He makes me happy guys. And I make him happy. I don’t know if there’s a future to this, but hell, I stayed in a relationship that had been dead for five years because it was all I knew, I was so stuck and so bored and unhappy. But I’m not stuck anymore, I’m not unhappy, I’m figuring things out with someone who reminds me what it is to be alive.”

Annie frowned, looking at Ruby before she turned back to Beth and spoke. “Beth, we get that, but does it need to be with him? Come on!”

“Okay, so what’s your main concern about him?” Beth asked, looking at them both.

“For real? You’re asking us that for real?” Ruby couldn't help but laugh.

“Yes!”

“He’s a criminal! He runs a gang of ex-cons. His boys deal with guns and drugs and money laundering. He kills people.” The words choked out of Ruby’s mouth.

“We robbed a grocery store, twice. We set up a secret shopping business to clean money. We stole botox. We’re not innocent ourselves.”

Ruby and Annie exchanged looks with each other and shifted uncomfortably on Beth’s kitchen bar stools.

“Beth, you know what Ruby meant. I mean, what happened to Eddie?” Annie spoke softly.

Beth frowned at that. She didn't know and to be honest, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. The Rio she spent time was warm and funny and smart, yes he had an edge but she couldn't think of him being a cold blooded murderer.

“We don’t know that anything happened to him.”

“Beth, I had his number after he helped me out at Sadie’s old school. I tried to message him once and the message didn’t get delivered.”

“Maybe he changed his number?” Beth kept her face straight. She hadn’t ever asked Rio too directly about how he handled people but she had alluded to it and he had alluded back that he had to do what he did to survive. She didn't press him further.

Ruby sighed. “Beth, don’t be naive, we love you, we want you to be happy but seriously is this the man for you?”

Beth swallowed. “Ruby, would you be okay with it if I brought him to your 40th and then you can judge for yourselves about what kind of person he is, when you see him in a different context?”

Annie drew in a sharp breath and Ruby didn’t react for a few seconds.

“Are you out of your mind? You want to bring Rio to a party that you are arranging with my cop husband?!”

Beth smiled and shrugged. “Yes.”

Annie walked to the bourbon cupboard and pulled out the good stuff. They needed hard liquor.

“How do you expect me to explain who Rio is?”

Beth shrugged. “You don’t need to, I’ll introduce him as my date.”

Ruby’s voice was high pitched. “Stan arrested Eddie, he’s gonna know who Rio is!”

“I’ll cover it, I’ll say I met him in a bar and we hit it off. I’ll say he invests in businesses, which isn’t a total untruth. He does invest in businesses, he is a businessman. Stan will be like everyone else and will just think I’m having a fling after the end of my marriage and you can all agree and hope that it ends soon.”

Annie and Ruby exchanged a look which Beth chose to ignore.

Annie gulped some of her bourbon before asking. “Beth, is this wise, you know, to bring him into the family circle?”

“Listen, he’s going to flip his game soon so our role in his business will diminish but I still want to be in his life as he wants to be in mine. So I’m bringing him into the circle. I’d like for you guys to just try with him, okay?”

Ruby looked heavenward but nodded. “Okay, I’ll try. But he's not allowed to call anyone bitch at my party and no guns and none of his guys.”

Beth beamed at her. “Deal!”

She’d already asked Rio after he'd taken her to his sisters and he’d been so pleased. He'd been hanging out with her kids, he’d introduced her to his family, so now it was her turn to be honest about him to her family, to Ruby and Annie. It meant that their relationship was out in the open with the people that mattered to them the most.

 

***

Beth had been so encouraged by Rio’s birthday lunch two weeks before as it had been so great to meet his family. There were 12 of them at the table, and everyone had welcomed Beth warmly, asking her how she met Rio, what she did, how long she’d been in Detroit for and checking on the food she was eating, did she like it, was that okay for her? 

She’d answered the questions as well as she could, and loved the food and she looked at Rio occasionally when certain questions were asked, he laughed when she told him to tell everyone how they met. 

“Our paths crossed professionally.” He’d said for how they met and a few eyebrows at the table raised.

Beth had tried to dress less like a suburban Mom of four in her black jeans and a green lace top which made her eyes pop but next to urban, cool and quirky Rio, she just looked like what she was, suburban. 

No one at the table could quite imagine how she’d professionally crossed paths with him, and when she said she ran a small secret shopper business with her friends, Rio’s sister, Ariela, had looked at Rio questioningly but asked no more about that.

Beth had helped Ariela stack dishes in the dishwasher when everyone went outside to finish their beers and wine and she couldn't help but like her. She was so funny, so very warm and friendly though she had that same tough undercurrent, just like Rio. Beth couldn’t help but like her. She wanted to hang out more with her.

A few weeks earlier, Rio revealed that their Dad had walked out on them when they were little and so their Mom had moved the three of them in with their uncle, so that his family was theirs, and their three cousins were more like siblings. Rio kept an eye on them all, helping them all with his sage advise as well as the occasional bit of work for them or help with getting a car, or car repair or something that would assist without being too easy for them. He believed that people appreciated things more if they had worked for them and Beth couldn't argue with that. 

On the route to the party, freshly showered after breakfast and their second body bliss orgasm session of the morning, Rio had told Beth not ask Ariela about husbands, boyfriends or babies as after years of trying for a baby with her husband, his sister had finally fallen pregnant through IVF but had miscarried at four months, which was ten months ago. He was clearly sad for her, but then he then he continued without any emotion, stating that Ariela’s husband had walked out on her, unable to handle the situation, but able to handle one of Ariela’s college friends who he moved in with. 

Beth had swallowed when he told her that, working out the time line as well as feeling for Ariela. Eddie must have been speaking to the FBI, so Rio’s business had gone into shut down and his sisters life imploded, all at the same time. Beth realised that Rio had really had a lot to deal with.

She then thought back to her own marriage, Dean betraying her had been bad enough, even through their relationship hadn’t been a loving or physical one in recent years, it was still a deep and painful betrayal. For a husband you were still in love with and friend you cared for to do that to you, Beth couldn't imagine the pain. It made her both furious and want to do nothing but hug Ariela tight when she finally met her. 

“Did you do anything to him?”

Rio had laughed coldly. “Nah, he was my brother for eight years.”

“So you don’t do anything to family?”

“This ‘bout him, who ain’t family anymore, or you, an’ what you did to me?”

They had talked about the ‘key throwing’ night and his arrest several times. He wouldn't ever forget it and he wouldn’t forgive it as such, but he understood what she did, he understood that she believed he would kill her or her girls, although personally, he thought it was obvious he wouldn’t, he’d let her get away with so many bullshit stunts. He thought she understood he’d had a soft spot for her, that he’d made it obvious, though in reality, he’d done a pretty good job of not showing it.

“It’s about him, but I guess, maybe me too.”

“He’ll get what's his when the time comes, either by me or someone else, but y’know, my concern ain’t him, it’s Ariela an’ taking care of her meant leaving him be. An’ as for you, we bin over this. When the game needs to flip, you an’ your ladies won’t be tied to me.”

“But what if I want to be tied to you?”

Rio licked his bottom lip and looked away from the road to stare at her for a moment. “You like me to tie you?”

Beth’s cheeks coloured at his teasing reminder.

Two week before Rio’s birthday they’d arranged to go out for drinks and dinner when the kids were staying with Dean. As Beth walked into the bar to meet him, he took a call. They rarely went out in public together on an actual ‘date’ so they had both been looking forward to it. Beth had dressed up in her favourite black lace dress again with the troublesome zip and had worn stockings and the highest pumps she owned. She was ready for her hot date.

But she heard Rio’s sigh within ten-seconds of answering the call, so she knew he had to leave. He hung up and looked her up and down and she smiled at him, understanding. They kissed deeply and he whispered in her ear, telling her she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and then he left, kissing her forehead on the way out. She smiled at that and decided to have a cocktail, ignoring the two men who hovered nearby and she headed home, undressing with a little bit of disappointment for how the night had turned out, going to bed early with a bourbon. 

She woke up at some point in the early hours as he was in her room, he’d turned a bedside lamp on and was sat on one of her chairs, the chairs she’d put her clothes on, watching her as she slept. He had one of her silk stockings, which she’d discarded, in his hands. 

“Do you trust me?” He’d asked. 

She nodded, feeling the raw energy coming from him as he’d made his way to her bed, slowly, with the stocking still in his hand. 

Sometimes he’d come to her when he was like this, when he was still wired from whatever he’d done at work. It was on those nights that he would be relentless, giving her no respite between orgasms he bestowed on her, until he exploded. He would then doze, in his favourite after sex rest mode, her bosom as his pillow his hands tucked neatly on her ass, recuperating and holding her close, before starting again.

He sat astride her now, over her sheets the stocking his hand. “Take off your pyjama top an’ gimme your wrists.”

Beth did as she was told pushing the sheets off her body, unbuttoning under his obsidian gaze, she threw the top on the floor and pushed her clasped hands up to him. He tied her wrists together tightly and lifted her arms up before pulling her other stocking out of his pocket, and stretching it to tie it all the way around her headboard, as he attached her tied wrists to it.

“You had a drink without me?”

She looked at her bedside table.

“Yes.”

“In the bar too?”

“Just one.”

“Anyone hit on you?” 

“I only paid attention to my drink.”

“Good.” Rio smirked pulling the sheets all the way down her body, pooling them at her feet, he then slowly pulled her pyjama pants down her hips, legs and ankles, throwing them on the floor.

“You know I don’t like to leave you.” He moved up over her body, gripping her knees, pulling the back of them, pulling her down the bed as far as her ties would allow. 

She gasped aloud at the pull on her wrists and then again as Rio opened her legs wide, before she whispered. “I know.”

“You looked so hot tonight Mamma, I really wanted to taste you.” He was staring in-between her legs, stroking the thick flesh of her inner thighs with his fingertips. 

Beth tried to move but he pushed his hands up her thighs to hold her legs open wide, staring hard at the flower in-between her legs, breathing in her scent as she tried to writhe.

“Rio.” She wanted his lips on her.

“Elizabeth.” He said in his deep drawl, gently blowing on her flower before diving in, licking her from the bottom of slit to her nub, over and over again.

Beth threw her head back, and clasped her fingers together, unable to hold onto the sheets or put her hands on his head as she sometimes did when he went down on her. She tried to move her hips in time with his licks but he put a hand firmly on her stomach holding her down as he pushed his flattened tongue inside her. She groaned as he moved his tongue, swooping it back to her clit, sucking it.

“Rio! Rio!” She cried out his name and he moved one hand down to her flower, gently sliding one and then two fingers into her hot warmth, pulling them in and out of her at first, fucking her with them before feeling for her coveted sweet spot to work on as he suckled on her clit. 

It didn’t take Beth long to orgasm when his fingers found the place they were seeking and rubbed it over and over, she came, gasping his name her body bucking. He withdrew his fingers but licked her wetness and moved slowly up her body, making her jolt when his shirt brushed against her sensitive nipples.

He looked into her eyes smiling devilishly at her before he leant in for a kiss, a deep kiss, letting her taste her sweet self before he pulled back, sitting astride her as he stripped off his shirt and his t-shirt, undoing his belt before he rolled off her to unbutton his jeans and pull them with his boxers.

Beth stared at him in lust and wonder as he climbed back on her, kissing up and down her orgasm sensitive body, gently stroking her skin, building her need up, making her want him inside her. She begged him to untie her then, she wanted to feel him, his skin, his cock, stroke his face, but he shook his head, ignoring her.

“You must be ovulating soon Mamma, you taste an’ smell like sweetest thing a man could eat.”

Beth laughed at that but he was right, she was about to ovulate. They used condoms when she fertile but only then, Rio didn’t want her to go on the pill or have an IUD inserted unnecessarily. His high school sweetheart had gone down both those roots and he said both had been a nightmare for her. He felt bad about putting her through that, he felt it was unfair to make a woman pump herself with hormones when it was just as much a mans responsibility to not get pregnant or to not get diseases. Rio was all about living as chemically free as possible and taking equal responsibility.

Beth loved his quirks, and thought it would be churlish to point out that his boys dealt in the worse kind of chemicals. She didn’t argue about not being on the pill though, the first three brands she’d been on before kids made her gain weight and cry all the time, and who at 40 had the time for that? She liked that Rio took an interest though, that he thought about these things and took care with her. She just tried not to think about him taking as much consideration with his exes.

“Yes, in a day, I think.”

“I’d best be careful then.” He lay in-between her legs, his hard cock pressed against her tender folds and pushed inside her in a fast movement, making Beth gasp, not expecting for him to be inside so suddenly.

He grinned at her as she clenched her core around him, lifting her hips to meet his thrusts as he leant down to kiss her mouth deeply, swallowing her moans of pleasure, before he kissed down her neck and her chest, giving her little love bites on her breasts, licking and sucking on her nipples, bringing her to that point again with the deep thrusts inside her and his clever tongue circling her tender nipples. 

Feeling her heat, he slowed down the pace of his thrusts, teasing her and she moaned at him, pleading with him to move faster again, but he just smiled devilishly at her, kissing her mouth, probing her tongue with his own as before he lifted one of her legs up and gratifyingly speeded up his thrusts again and then with just four deep, angled strokes he made her come and she cried out as he watched her. 

She clenched her core muscles tightly around his hard cock as she strained to move her hands, feeling her orgasm shake her whole body but he kept on pumping inside her. Without letting her rest, he pulled her leg down again and knelt between her legs, lifting her up so he could squeeze her ass cheeks as hard as he was thrusting in her and she gasped at him but didn’t admonish him. She was still high on her orgasm although she cried out when she realised what he was doing. 

He was angling himself to hit her sweet spot again. He wasn’t going to give her a break and with her hands tied and her body completely in his control there was nothing she could do but ride the orgasm that followed, she lost it for a bit and he stared at her in satisfaction and wonder. He just loved to make her come.

He stopped thrusting, pulling out when she came to a bit more, ready to explode himself and though Beth was not quite on planet earth, still being on her double orgasm high, she moaned at him, wanting to bring him to completion. “Rio, my mouth, now.”

He understood her and gently knelt either side of her shoulders, letting the tip of his throbbing cock, still wet with her pleasure, touch her lips. She opened her mouth wide for him, let him go down as far as he could, nearly gagging repeatedly because of his size and his angle and she flicked her tongue rapidly on his shaft and closed her lips around him. It only took a few thrusts for him to explode, and Beth tasted his hot come explosion, licking, sucking and swallowing it all up. 

He pulled out of her and freed her hands as quickly as he could before he slid down her body, pulling the sheets up over them, resuming his favourite post-coitus position. Beth put one hand on his head and one his shoulder, relieved to finally be able to touch him.

“Elizabeth,” Rio whispered into her chest. “You don’t have clue what you do to me, what you mean to me.” 

But Beth said nothing, having already fallen into a deep sleep.

When she woke in the morning, Rio had rolled off her body but curled up next to her, his arm around her middle. She smiled to herself as she felt him stirring and he pulled her close and kissed down her neck and shoulder. 

“Morning gorgeous.”

Beth beamed as she turned to face him. “Morning, but I think you need glasses.” 

“Nah, I got 20/20 vision.” He traced her face gently with his fingers before he leant in to kiss her on the lips. He pulled back and spoke softly. “Listen, last night my sister sent a message. She wants to do a lunch for me, on my birthday, fam only. It’s two weeks Sunday. Wanna come with me?”

Beth beamed her brightest smile at him and kissed him. “Yes, I do. I’d love to come with you.”

Rio gave Beth his real smile, slightly crooked and mischevious, the smile that made his dark eyes shine. “Good.”

“Good.” Beth kissed Rio again, laughing as he pulled her on top of him.

**Author's Note:**

> A shorter one from me after Kings & Queens... hope you all enjoy it! x


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